I see that the NHS hand-clapping event has been scheduled again, for tonight at 8 p.m., despite it doing nothing at all to supply nurses, carers, and key workers with protective apparel, masks, gloves, etc., as well as the necessary equipment to help safeguard both them, their patients and the public. Yesterday, my taxi driver told me that his wife, who's a nurse, thought such gestures were total codswallop, and he wasn't 'April Fooling' me. At least tonight I'm forewarned so am unlikely to be disturbed from sleep as I was last week, but what about those just off a shift who are in desperate need of a kip before returning to work? That's all right though, as long as we feel good about ourselves while 'virtue-signalling' our alleged appreciation, we can conveniently ignore taking all necessary sensible precautions which would not only protect ourselves, but would alleviate the strain on overstretched resources.
I still see kids playing out in the streets together, and ask myself what on earth the parents are thinking. Sure, let junior out in the back garden to stretch his or her legs once a day, but anything else is risking him or her catching Covid-19 and giving the NHS yet another patient to tend to and strain their already limited resources even more. Switching lanes for a moment, there's been a lot of attention paid to the fact that some people are 'panic buying', but it appears to be an inevitable repercussion of advising the public to stay home and not go out. Obviously they're going to think that in order to stay in, they need to increase their stock of necessities to see them through their period of 'house arrest'. I haven't indulged in panic buying, but that means I have to go to the shops every other day in order to buy milk, bread, toilet rolls (if I can find any) - I'm condemned whatever I do. (Just a shame the revamped Dandy is no longer available, 'cos I could've wiped my @rse with that. H'mm, maybe not, the paper was too shiny and would simply have smeared excrement all over my nether-cheeks. It would've been a case of sh*te spreading sh*te, which is rather ironic when you think about it.)
Anyway, getting back to the point, there can't be an NHS worker anywhere who doesn't already know how much the public appreciates them. (It's the government - regardless of whichever one is in power - that they feel under-appreciated by.) They're on the front line every day, dealing with death and the dying, and have relatives of the afflicted and the deceased telling them in extremely emotional and heartfelt terms just how much they're appreciated, so they really don't need any empty gestures like people hand-clapping on the doorstep. Instead of drawing attention to yourself, why not draw attention to the NHS and key workers by making a donation to an organisation or charity that supports them. That's far more practical and requires real action that will make a difference, as opposed to the minor inconvenience of opening your front door and effectively saying "Hey, look at me, folks - am I a good person or what?" Well, your appreciation may be genuine or it may not, but instead, try putting your money where your mouth is! That'll make a real difference and show nurses, doctors, and carers, etc., that your appreciation is genuine, and not mere pointless posturing.
After Eight Update: Oh, and here's another thought. Last week, one of my local chip shops had a sign on their door saying no more than 2 customers at a time. Yet behind the length of the counter were around 10 staff, all in close proximity to one another. Delivery drivers were congregated at the end of the shop, and assistants had to pass inches from them to go through to the back in order to get things. The shop has now started doing only deliveries and collections, yet is still packed full to the brim with staff. You can bet that at least some of those people would've been out clapping tonight, but by their work-environment behaviour they're not only putting themselves and their colleagues at risk, but also NHS staff who will have to treat them if they become infected. Way to go, peeps - that's the way to show your 'appreciation' - not!
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